


The door with the butterflies

by SherlockWolf



Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Childhood Memories, Fluff, Gen, Imaginary Friends, M/M, Monster Sora, Monsters Inc., Stellaluna, story time
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-09
Updated: 2019-04-09
Packaged: 2020-01-07 06:33:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,230
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18405086
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SherlockWolf/pseuds/SherlockWolf
Summary: The Monsters Inc. factory is full of surprises, including one Sora never could've imagined.





	The door with the butterflies

**Author's Note:**

> I've had this idea for a while and it's too cute not to share. Hope y'all enjoy! <3 sherlockwolf

    With the stranger in the mask—Vanitas—and the creatures Goofy had called “unversed” chased away, Sora, Donald, Goofy, Mike, Sully, and Boo made their way back through the factory. They were headed through the scare floor, when something made Sora pause. He wasn’t sure what it was, a voice, a feeling, a sensation. But the door he’d just walked by…

    Sora backed up a few steps and examined the door held up in the nearest clamp. It wasn’t the one they’d used to travel through the factory, nor was it one of the many Sully had chucked Vanitas through. It was grey, with crayon-drawn cats and dogs along the bottom. The outlines of yellow butterflies were more tastefully painted in a swirl, curling from just above the dogs and cats all the way up to the top corner.

    Sora knew this door.

    His hand—paw?—felt itchy as he placed it on the knob. Should he? What would happen if he did? Would it be empty, or would he find a child on the other side? Could these doors transcend space-time?

    The door opened with a click.

    An orange glow filled the crack between the door and its frame. Sora’s breath caught. Okay, not empty.

    “Sora! Let’s go!” Donald’s voice called out from across the laugh floor, but Sora chose to ignore him.

    He pushed the door open just wide enough to slip in, then closed it before Donald could come after him.

    The soft glow from the nightlight lit every feature of the room, officially rendering Sora’s lungs useless. His heart kicked into overdrive and his hands— _paws!_ —got sweaty.

    Everything was as it used to be. Silly crayon-drawings hung from clothes-pins on strings along all four walls, the basket of toys overflowed in the corner opposite the twin bed with racecar themed dressings, the wooden desk was covered in picture books removed from the bookshelf beside the closet.

    A lump under the covers stirred, and a little silver-haired boy popped his head out. Wide teal eyes searched the room, eventually landing on Sora standing in front of his door. They stared at each other for a moment, each in their own shock, until the tiny boy sat up and pushed his covers away. He slid off his bed and cautiously stepped over to Sora, arms crossed over his chest defensively.

    “Who’re you?” His voice squeaked.

    Sora was convinced he would die from how cute this was. Of all the doors he could’ve passed by in this place!

    He knelt down in front of the boy and held out a paw, palm—did paws have palms?—held up invitingly.

    “My name’s Sora.”

    “So-ra? But Sora is _my_ friend.” The boy said as though Sora had crossed a line by trying to claim his identity.

    Sora smiled as his heart squeezed, “I’m your friend, too.”

    The boy frowned at him, “Okay, but I’m gonna call you Kitty so I don’t get confused.”

    “Kitty it is.” Sora agreed easily.

    Why was this starting to sound familiar?

    “I’m Riku.” Riku said impatiently when Sora didn’t say anything else.

    “Nice to meet you, Riku.” Sora chose to wave instead of awkwardly hold out his hand any longer.

    “Are you furry?” Riku demanded, tilting his head and narrowing his eyes at Sora.

    Sora grinned. “Yep. Wanna feel?”

    Once again, he stuck his hand out. This time Riku stepped close enough to run his tiny fingers over the fur of Sora’s arm. It tickled Sora when Riku pushed the fur in the opposite direction that it fell. Sora had always wondered if it hurt when he used to pet Kairi’s dog the wrong way. It was nice to know that it didn’t.

    “Is it warm?” Riku asked.

    “Very.”

    “You’re not wearing pants so it’s good you’re not cold.”

    Sora hadn’t spent enough time with little kids to experience such blunt observations. It made him laugh.

    “You’re right.” He told Riku.

    Riku stared at him for a few moments, giving Sora more opportunity to observe his best friend’s childhood room. He came to the conclusion that the Monster world was incredible. He was in the past of his own home world! With itty-bitty Riku, no less.

    “Can you read?” Riku demanded.

    Jeeze, Sora had forgotten how bossy Riku was when they were little.

    “Yeah.”

    “Can you read me a story? Mom was too tired to read more than one.”

    “Of course, Riku. Pick out your favourite.”

    Riku scurried away to his bookshelf and sifted through the stacks and rows of books. Sora sat on the side of his bed, hands folded in his lap as he waited. He knew Donald was going to be mad at him for being gone this long, but Sora wasn’t about to deny Riku a story.

    Riku bopped a picture book against Sora’s knees to get his attention, then held it above his head for Sora to take. After he scrambled up on his bed, insisting he didn’t need help when Sora offered it. Then he settled against Sora’s side, pushing the fabric of his jacket out of his face until he was comfortable. Sora placed his arm behind Riku, both for comfort and for something to lean on.     

    “ _Stellaluna_.” Sora read the title.

    This had been his and Riku’s favourite. They loved the story about the baby bat finding her mom again. It was so scary, then so happy. She made so many friends along the way, too.

    As Sora read, the story reminded him of his and older-Riku’s life. They’d been separated by an evil man, Sora cast out of his comfortable home, left to try and find his way back home to Riku and Kairi. Just like Stellaluna was misled in flying by the mother bird, Riku had been misled by Maleficent. Both he and Sora had eventually found each other, just like Stellaluna finally found her mom. And then, Stellaluna had to save her friends from the darkness. How perfect was that?

    “ _But we’re friends, and that’s a fact_.” Sora read the last sentence, hoping little Riku wouldn’t notice that his eyes were watery.

    “Thanks.” Riku said, stretching his arms above his head with a yawn too big for his tiny face.

    He smacked his lips a few times before snuggling back under his covers. He disappeared under the blankets for a moment before popping his head back out, his precious stuffed goldfish wrapped up in his arms. Sora helped him get tucked in, patting the covers over Riku’s shoulders just like he did when they’d had sleepovers.

    “Kitty?” Riku asked as Sora began to sit up.

    “Yeah?”

    “Will you come back?” Riku asked, hope dripping off every word.

    Sora’s heart pulled. He placed a finger over Riku’s chest in the general area of his five-year old heart.

    “I’ll always be here for you, Riku.”

    Riku smiled, just the tug of lips over teeth. “Okay. Goodnight, Kitty.”

    “Goodnight, Riku.”

    Sora set the book on top of the desk, then quietly snuck out of the room. He cast one last glance back at Riku, curled up in his bed with his eyes closed and Goldy tucked tight against his chest.

    Then the door closed, and Sora was faced with having to explain himself to Donald. The duck’s rage was worth it, though. He couldn’t wait to tell Riku that he finally believed him about his imaginary friend.


End file.
